Never Again Will You Roam the Stars
by Sithstrukk
Summary: As a young Jedi Knight, Qui-Gon Jinn gets into a fatal accident on a mission, leaving him blinded. With Tahl's help, will he ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1: Accident

**I don't own Jedi Apprentice.**

Qui-Gon pried off the cold metal plating encasing the door. He scowled. His lightsaber had burned through the lock, and security had been automatically alerted. He reactivated his light green blade and proceeded to slice through the rest of the door. It fell forward with a deafening clank. He nudged pieces of heavy durasteel away and clattering down the small wreckage pile as he scrambled over it. A particularly heavy piece was dislodged and struck the wall with the screech of sharp elements. It left a nasty dent.

The ominous whirring of sensors and the dreaded click of fully charged blasters met Qui-Gon's ears. Droids were coming, armed with lethal weaponry. One freshly Knighted Jedi didn't stand a chance.

He pounded down the hallway, praying as he rounded the corner a barrage of blaster fire would not assemble in front of him. The droids had gone the other way, but a flustered squad of rookie guards barreled into him instead. They madly fired, their bolts ricocheting off walls to strike colleagues. A lightsaber would be too destructive at close quarters. Instead Qui-Gon forced pushed two guards against the wall. Their necks banged on the stone and they crumbled. He snatched the blaster away from another as two more men went down from allies' fire. The survivors took in the scene and fled.

As they stumbled away, two dozen sleek, jet-black droids with the most sophisticated weaponry of the day zipped past them. There laser pointers were targeted at Qui-Gon. They fired, faster than he could ever recall seeing before. His lightsaber was a blur, always on defense. The front line was less than three steps away from him. The mere concentration of the blaster bolts singed his face and the ends of his robe. He couldn't attack, lest something get through his weakened defense. Any fire deflected back at the droids was absorbed in strong armor.

Finally, a droid overloaded. It exploded in a shower of sparks. Another's circuits were fried as it burst into flame. But Qui-Gon had no time to be relieved. They were surrounding him on all sides, a constant peppering of blaster fire. And the circle was closing in. Soon they would be on top of him. Maybe

He had no choice. He jumped over the crowd, and the droids had to whir and beep to pinpoint their target again. The lead droid, as red as a setting sun, aimed at the hand clutching the lightsaber. It was a direct hit.

The lightsaber flew out of his hand as Qui-Gon lost the focus if his leap and crashed to the floor. The lightsaber was ahead of him. As they simultaneously struck the ground, the still activated saber hit the bridge of his nose.

He yelled as unbearable pain and a blinding light hit met him.

**Yep…that's it. Sorry it's so short, but the next chapter shall be coming along.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2: Mission

**I didn't exactly plan to update so soon. (sorry!) But I got a perfect score on my algebra test, so I was like, "heh, why not?"**

**I don't own Jedi Apprentice.**

Dawn was arguably Tahl's favorite time of day. It was time to herself. She could meditate or daydream before another day of training and another month of missions.

She had taken to brewing herself a cup of tea introduced to her by her friend, Qui-Gon, during these luxurious hours. As the warm fluid spread over her tongue in a blend of mint and some other herb, she couldn't help but think of him.

Qui-Gon had sped off on another mission, another young Jedi Knight recklessly abusing their independence. Tahl cherished this privileged freedom, but the final advice from her master was to watch out for overconfidence. And Qui-Gon, well… he was turning into a bit of a maverick. He had changed; growing his hair out to signify his detachment from a Padawan with a braid and violating simple Temple protocols. The Jedi High Council was getting increasingly irked at him. He wasn't cocky…not yet.

She had seen a few of her peers learn the consequences of being too bold. It usually resulted in a painfully difficult mission and a reprimand from the Council. Someday, Tahl thought, he would get expelled from the Order just because Yoda was fed up with dealing with his stubbornness.

Her comm abruptly beeped, its pale yellow light signaling a page from the council. She secretly hoped it was another mission. Gathering a few of her things, she headed down the hallway. It was bathed in a pale blue light in the early morning. The few people she passed on the way gave her small nods and carried on. All was peaceful. All was quiet. It was almost hard to imagine the rest of the galaxy, mired in increasing troubles.

But as soon as Tahl stepped through the Council Room door, the reality came apparent. The panoramic view of Coruscant came through the wide windows. Vehicles of all shapes and sizes whizzed through the spacelanes, carrying lowly civilians and high ranking individuals alike. The room normally hosting all twelve members had only two Masters in it; Mace Windu and Yaddle. They were in their respected places. Yaddle was speaking in her cracked voice. Mace's head was tilted to the side as he listened intently.

They both turned towards her as she entered. Yaddle murmured a small greeting and Tahl politely returned it. Windu rarely, if ever, gave or received preliminaries.

"We have reason to believe Qui-Gon Jinn is in trouble," he began. Involuntarily, Tahl stiffened. Perhaps this was why he had crossed her mind.

Mace continued, "We have received no reply from him in the past fifteen hours. The last time he checked in with us, he was heading towards a secret terrorist facility in the outer rim." He leaned forward and pressed his fingers against his forehead.

Tahl frowned. On only the most crucial missions were Jedi required to report. "I see."

"We are sending two teams to complete the mission, aside from yourself. Your sole purpose is to find Qui-Gon, alive or well, and bring him back here."

"I will." Tahl glanced at her left to Yaddle. The green skinned master nodded encouragement.

"You are to meet in the Archives for a briefing…" Mace checked his chrono. "Promptly." He leaned back in his chair, strong arms encircling the sides of the chair. "May the force be with you."

"Thank you." Tahl didn't recall speaking the words, nor did she remember walking out of the Council room, her mind was such a whirpool of panic and muses. She snapped out of her haze of emotion only when Clee Rhara spotted her and her shaking hands and trotted forward, wearing an expression of extreme concern.

"Tahl, what's-oh, you heard, it's all over the Temple now, I'm afraid. And really unfortunate, but I'm sure he's just fine… oh, but tell me, are you sure you are fine?" Clee burst out.

"I'm fine." Tahl brushed past her friend, not wanting sympathy. She didn't want to go after him, either, for fear of what she would find. He was in mortal danger. She could feel it in the force. Their connection was strong; but his was weakening.

"Oh…okay…good luck," Clee said hesitantly at Tahl's retreating form.

Jocasta Nu was ready with a chastise when Tahl arrived several minutes late. "About time."

Tahl didn't apologize. Instead she stared into space, straight ahead, ignoring Nu's frustrated sigh.

"What did I miss?"

Jocasta plunged into an explanation spanning huge moments of Tahl's precious time. She listened, though not carefully enough. She closed her eyes against the noise behind her. She tried to reach out with the force, trying to find him.

_Qui-Gon?_

No response.

_Was he safe?_

No response.

She tried again, this time delving deeper into meditation.

_Where are-_

"Tahl!" Madame Nu's reprimand rang through the room. "May I ask what exactly you are doing?"

"Meditating," Tahl said matter-of-factly. She rolled her eyes to stare at the two Jedi teams, a four armed Master and her lanky Padawan; beside them a seasoned knight and a Padawan taller than her.

"I suggest you save meditation for later. That is, if you would like to start this mission with full knowledge of what you will be facing."

"Yes, ma'am," Tahl muttured. She forced herself to be humbled into serenity. Patiently, she listened to the older Jedi as she outlined the aspects of the mission.

"You are scheduled to depart in an hour. May the force be with you all," Jocasta concluded her lecture. As one the Jedi rose. The librarian gazed at her expectantly, as if waiting for some reaction to the ending. Nu could see the emotions clouding her thoughts. She stormed away.

_Kriff Jinn and his headstrong self. Kriff the Council, and the mission, and whoever is responsible for all this trouble._

Little did Tahl know that this anger was from fear.

The fear of what she would find.

**Cliff hanger!:D Kinda. **

**I love reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3: Rescue

**I don't own Jedi Apprentice.**

Her spine shook with pain. Her neck begged for relief. And her knees, skin raw from crawling over rocks, now ached as she ran; crouching in the darkness.

She was charging through the underground tunnels. Built for droids, they had very low ceilings.

This was the route of the interrogation droids on the way to the prisons. From there they could enter from the floor, preventing escape from prisoners expecting a different entrance.

These tunnels were top secret. The interrogation droids practically lived down there, deterring any intruder. Tahl had destroyed three so far and avoided many more. _Jinn, where are you?_

Finally, she found him. She could sense him, right above her. There was a lock, keypad, and a number of security clearances on the wall below the door on the ceiling. Slicing through the door with a lightsaber would be easier, but every door had a trap. If the prison were burglarized, armed forces would come. For Qui-Gon's sake Tahl could not risk that.

So she set about bypassing the many codes. As a child, code breaking had been her hobby, and she slowly grew more proficient until many at the Temple were familiar with her skills.

First was a droid ID scan. She passed that by snagging a tag off of a force influenced interrogator. Next clearance required the consent of a sentient being. Tahl reluctantly gave her fingerprint, weeding through the computer to acquire identification as assistant personnel. After that came a long number code, which Tahl figured out after a few long minutes.

When she finally opened the door with a hiss and heard the sliding of heavy bolts, pale blue light poured through the opening. Tahl spotted a body, curled up in the center of the floor. She leapt upwards, landing lightly on the left side of the small cell.

"Qui-Gon," she whispered. He was unresponsive. Tahl checked his injuries. And ugly gash ran across his eyes, looking like it came from a lightsaber. He had several blaster wounds; but they were minor, except for one that nearly split his right hand in half. Tahl grimaced. But she had no time to heal him. She delicately dragged him towards the door. How much weight had he lost in the week? He was miraculously light for a man of his strength. Minding his injuries, she slid to the ground and pulled him after, just catching him in time so his head did not hit the ground.

Tahl was strong, like many female Jedi. With the help of the force she surmised she would have no trouble carrying him, but if droids came he would be an open target. She had to bend over more than ever, as he was slung over her shoulders, and his back still skimmed the ceiling.

Now that he had traveled the tunnels before, getting around the major droid hubs was easier. Of course, once enough droids were swiftly deactivated they sounded an alert. Tahl desperately with Qui-Gon would wake up. She would need his help, once security came thundering down the halls. But he never stirred.

Tahl uttered a curse as she turned a corner. A trio of interrogation droids was coming towards them. Armored with stun pistols and other methods of torture, they could kill only at close range. Tahl could avoid them if she kept her lightsaber away from her body. She clumsily mowed them down and pelted towards the exit, fumbling for her com. "Lia, get us out of here!" She bellowed.

Her pilot replied, "I'm waiting."

Tahl didn't respond. Her stomach was twisted in dread. Dioxis gas was pouring from vents, tumbling and swirling and grasping at her throat. After steadying Qui-Gon, she took a deep, final breath of clean air and plunged through the thick gas to find clean air.

--

"Oh my… force, are you alright? Tahl? Qui-Gon?" A voice, familiar though not one of a close friend, naturally high but holding the detectable pitch of panic. It was the pilot, Lia.

Tahl forced her eyelids open, and stared, unblinking, until the figure in front of her came into focus. Lia had green eyes and jet black hair pulled back into a harsh bun. Her stony appearance filled Tahl with relief. She propped herself up on her elbows, wincing as pain shot through her back. As she dropped her elbows to lay down she caught a glimpse of Qui-Gon. He was slouched in a cushioned chair, mostly conscious but still looking awful. Brown hair was tousled from neglect and his clothes were stained. His injuries had been partly treated, gauze and bandages slapped over them.

But the scar over his eyes was still painstakingly fresh. In better light, it looked worse than she thought. With a wave of horror, she realized he must be blind.

**The paragraphs were **_**huge **_**this time, weren't they? Sorry 'bout that. I'm not even done writing chapter 4, but it will probably be shorter.**

**Reviews make my day. :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Consolences

**At this rate, I won't have this done by January. Bummer.**

**I don't own Jedi Apprentice.**

Tahl choked back a tear of remorse at the sight of Qui-Gon. He looked like a body that had never seen daylight, or smiled, or felt the caring touch of a friend. It was like he was drained of all energy; permanently. The strength he radiated, the bravery, the confidence- all of it was gone, replaced by this weak, shriveled body and exhausted mind.

She barely recognized him; his face had the worst of the harm. A broken nose was delicately repaired and covered in a dressing. A pale scar ran down his cheek and across his forehead. His eyes were hidden behind a thick dark fabric at the time. His body in general was clearly fighting an infection from one of the wounds. He was thin and blue-veined.

The healers assured her they could fix the skin to near normal. They could even bring back his stunning blue eyes, just not to their usual clarity. But as for repairing his vision, they could do nothing. That had gone too far.

Now he was propped up in his bed, looking tired and strained, not to mention disappointed and shocked by his newfound disability.

"No telling when he will grow comfortable with his…drawback," an uneasy Healer told her. "But he seems to have much determination."

"Of course," Tahl murmured, more to herself than anyone. "May I speak with him?"

The Healer permitted her entry, and Tahl approached the bed. Qui-Gon grunted something. "It's Tahl."

"I _know,_" he replied bitterly. Guilt gnawed at Tahl's stomach.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." He had kept his eyes down, but now he looked up, straight ahead. Tahl could have cried. He couldn't see her, or anything else. Would he ever be the same? "I thought I could handle it," he continued, "I shouldn't-"

"Now we're both turning into bitter old Masters," Tahl teased, turning his thoughts. Qui-Gon mustered up a smile.s

"One wouldn't be able to tell we are in truth young Knights back from a mission," the tone of his voice was still good natured, but the words held a deeper meaning, and they both knew it.

"You should feel better in no time," Tahl said.

"But I won't be the same," Qui-Gon paused, thinking. "How many blind Jedi do you know?"

Tahl had to mull this over, scanning her memory. "Isn't Master Regvin Stonn? That librarian?"

"_Librarian?_" Qui-Gon didn't try to keep dismay out of his voice.

"He's quite a bit older than you, and retired. Don't think you're destined to shelve books," Tahl assured. Consoling her friend was growing difficult. "And with challenge, you can turn things around. Use your… challenge to your advantage.

Qui-Gon sounded nearly vengeful as he said, "I will be a Jedi again."

**My excuse for Qui-Gon being OOC: He's younger, and naïve.**

**My excuse for possible Sue/Stu problems: I suck at writing, mmkay?**

**Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5: Promise

**Hi. Sorry if anyone's disappointed, but I'm cutting this fic short. Why? It's not my top priority, but I hate to leave it unfinished. So this is the final chapter… a bit of a cliffie, but I'm focusing more on the Qui-Gon and Tahl relationship for this.**

"Right-no, your other right!" Tahl couldn't help it; she was overcome with frustration.

Qui-Gon had made phenomenal progress overall- she couldn't deny that. But after so many trial and errors, she feared they would need a new approach. The current lightsaber strategy wasn't working for him.

"Enough," Qui-Gon said sharply. He deactivated the lightsaber, head cast down.

"Want a break?" Tahl offered. Qui-Gon replied by finding his way to the bench with a gliding walk.

"A long one." He passed a hand over his eyes, reminiscing on the times he had sight.

Tahl hated the way he put himself down. It had been months since he had been discharged from the medcenter. He was still adapting. In the process, though, he was losing so much hope. "You can't give up," she encouraged, sitting next to him. "That's not like you."

After a long moment he spoke. "I know."

"It's going to be hard. But you have come so far and I would hate to see you give it all up."

"Because that would mean all your hard work would have been for nothing," he said wryly.

Tahl smiled. She rested her head against his shoulder. "But we won't give up."

"Never," he agreed.

**I'm considering re-writing this over the summer; perhaps if I finish another fic. Feedback is always appreciated.**


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